Pet Health Insurance

Some frequently asked questions

What is Pet Insurance?

Pet insurance allows people to get access to the best medical and surgical treatment for their pets, without having to worry about the cost, should the need arise.

Could I not pay for the treatment myself?

Yes, but some veterinary procedures can be very expensive. For example spinal surgery for a spinal problem caused by an accident or due to age is about £3,000 - £4,500, effective cancer treatment may cost £2,000 - £4,000 per year, correct diagnosis and treatment for skin problems could be £1,000, mending a broken leg could be £1,000.

Don’t worry most veterinary procedures and treatments are not so costly but if your pet is unlucky then it can sometimes be very expensive to treat their problems properly.

If you have enough money to cover the unexpected you may not need pet insurance. Personal circumstances can change, so if this becomes no longer the case it may be worth reassessing if pet insurance is for you.

I find it very distressing and sad trying to treat badly injured or very ill pets when the very best tests and procedures that are needed cannot be carried out due to the unfortunate owner being unable to afford treatment or not being insured. I always endevour do my best to help these animals but it is not an ideal situation for the owner, patient or vet.

What insurance should I buy?

Like any insurance it pays to shop around. Make sure the policy is a lifetime policy that covers your pet for life. So many policies are for 12 months only.

Make sure it is a good company. If in doubt ask us. We do have problems claiming from some companies. Check online. Put the name of your policy in a search engine and ask if anyone has experienced problems with this policy when claiming.

We are no longer allowed to discuss different insurances for a particular pet with a client. If we do we are classified as an insurance broker and can be fined! We can only mention one, so we have chosen Petplan for cats and dogs see the button at the bottom of our home page.

When Should I Take Out Insurance?

Straight away! If your pet has had any illness they will be excluded from future claims. For example if your puppy or kitten has or gets an ear infection before it is insured then no insurance company will cover your pet for any ear problems in the future.

30 years ago..... (David Higginson MRCVS remembers)

No one had pet insurance. To some extent no one needed it as treatments were limited. Veterinary medicine for pets was still in it's infancy. Effective drugs without side effects were rare. Anaesthetics were risky. There were few useful blood tests available. In fact the situation in pet practice was little different from James Herriot's days in the thirties. Pet insurance is vital nowadays as, without it, few owners would be able to afford proper treatment for their pets.

Written by William John Davies BVM&S MRCVS, Daisy Street Vets, Blackburn, October 2014.